Each week all season long, I’ll chat with Brother Vs. Brother producer Loren Ruch about his favorite on-set moments and what you didn’t see on TV. Here’s his behind-the-scenes take on what to expect in season 2. Brother Vs. Brother season two premieres this Sunday, June 8, at 9/8c. Don’t miss it!

What criteria did you use to choose this season’s contestants? How are they different from last year’s cast?
This year we wanted to find as many contestants with Jonathan’s and Drew’s skill sets as possible, so we have contractors, real estate experts, home flippers, interior designers and even a very talented design student! We thought that variety would be the key to finding balanced and competitive teams.

It seems like the team members reflect Jonathan and Drew’s personalities. How involved are Jonathan and Drew in choosing their teams?
The guys are very involved in assembling their teams. At HGTV, we will narrow down candidates to our top sixty or so, and then the brothers will assemble the teams that they think reflect them most from those candidates. This year, they didn’t disappoint!

How do Jonathan and Drew differ when it comes to mentoring their teams? Which one is more hands-on?
They are very different actually. In my opinion Drew takes a bit more of a tough love approach, where as Jonathan seems to be a little more hands-on. I think this has to do with their backgrounds. Drew is a true businessman, and Jonathan loves to work with his hands, so they use their real-world skill sets when they mentor their teams. What they both have in common is a genuine passion for this show and a ton of respect for their teams.

Give us some hints…what’s coming up this season on Brother Vs. Brother?
Sure! This season is really fun because we have a huge variety of home styles that the contestants get to work on. So, whether you are a fan of ranch homes, Colonials, tract homes, or even Craftsmans, you’ll get your fill! Also, the teams this year are so incredibly handy! They take on more in two or three days than some people take on in a year.

Drew and Jonathan’s older brother JD joins the cast this season as the HGTV.com behind-the-scenes reporter. What was it like having the whole family on set?
JD is a rock star! I love having him on set. He’s incredibly funny, warm, and the contestants loved him. He also gave viewers a chance to really see some of the fun and hijinks that takes place behind the scenes!

What was the funnest “brothers” moment during the filming?By far, it was in episode 2. I don’t want to give it away, but if you’re a fan of Freaky Friday, you’ll laugh your face off!

Have a question for Loren? Ask in the comments below — he may just answer you next week.

By now you’ve heard the news, marked your calendars and started planning your June 8premiere watch party. That’s right — Jonathan and Drew will be going head-to-head for another season of sibling rivalry mixed with jaw-dropping home renovations on Brother Vs. Brother.

Drew and Jonathan Scott

Now, it’s time to meet this season’s hopeful contenders that will battle their way through the sawdust, paint fumes and drama.

You’ve “met” both teams, you know the brothers, so now we want to know — who are you rooting for this season? Are you #TeamJonathan or #TeamDrew? Let us know in the comments below and on Twitter. Your Brother Vs. Brother tweets could show up on HGTV.com!

You already know Property Brothers hosts and Brother Vs. Brother rivals Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott. Coming to HGTV.com for season two of Brother Vs. Brother, there’s a new Scott brother to love: our new online host JD.

Jonathan Scott, JD Scott and Drew Scott

You’ll have to wait until this summer (June 8!) to see all-new episodes of Jonathan and Drew’s hit competition show, but eldest brother JD is already hard at work filming behind-the-scenes videos you can see right here in the coming weeks. The bonus of having a sibling on set? He gets to ask your favorite hosts things a stranger wouldn’t dream of.

The downside? He has to face the consequences. Hope that tough question was worth it, JD!

Check back here for more behind-the-scenes photos from and updates about Brother Vs. Brother season two.

Casting for these two shows is now closed. Tune in this summer for Brother Vs. Brother and an all-new competition series, Flipping the Block.

Are you missing Brother Vs. Brother? Think you could do better than the season one contestants? You can apply now to be a contestant on season two of BvB and an all-new HGTV home renovation series. Read on for more details.

Drew Scott and Jonathan Scott

If you’re a dynamic, hardworking and energetic home improvement expert, apply to be a part of Brother Vs. Brother season two. Hands-on skills a plus. To apply and for more information, visit www.castinghgtvshows.com.

But that’s not all! HGTV is also casting for a brand new home renovation competition show. Do you love to flip, renovate and design homes with your brother, mother, spouse or friend? Do you want the chance to win $50,000 and much more? HGTV is now casting for friends, couples or family members who renovate, design and dream big to participate in HGTV’s new renovation challenge. To apply and for more information, visit www.castinghgtvshows.com.
To find out more information about appearing on many more HGTV shows, visit our Be On HGTV page.

Brett was so, so close to the win. He made it all the way to the final elimination, and he was right there when Drew named teammate David the first season winner. But Brett’s not bitter — just happy for his friend. “If there was ever somebody I wanted to hand over the title to, it was Dave,” he says.

Brett came to the show with plenty of remodeling project management experience, and he proved to be a valuable team player to Drew’s squad. He’s leaving with a much better handle on technical skills — remember his first tile attempt? — and a new understanding of the workmanship. “I was humbled, because I feel like I”m constantly rushing the guys I work with. There’s no such thing as ‘rushed’ and ‘perfect.’ The two don’t mesh,” he says. Preach it, Brett!

See what else Brett has to say about the final challenge after the jump.

Monica came to this competition with some very real skills: 15 years of design experience, a knack for comfortable color palettes, and a great sense of what families want. But her hands-on construction experience was pretty much zero. Remember when she learned to tile for the first time? “It’s just like frosting a cake. Frost that cake, girl,” Christy said.

Despite being a construction newbie, she stepped up, tried new things and earned a spot in the finale. Monica even thought she and Torche would be the final two contestants standing. “I thought it would be down to the two of us,” she admits.

See what else was on Monica’s mind just moments after the final elimination went down.

Oh, Torche. She was a strong competitor all through the competition. “She has proven herself again and again,” Jonathan says. Even Drew admitted she had the best creative mind of any cast member. But even though she and Monica gave the final challenge their all, their appraised value fell just short of Team Drew’s total.

“I wanted to win. I feel like we made the smartest choices possible,” Torche says. “I wanted to get a pony in there, for the reveal.”

Despite her “edgy” exterior, Torche stole many viewers’ hearts with her fun-loving demeanor, formidable construction skills and sheer will to win. But don’t worry, she’s not done. “I hope America loves me, and wants more. Because I got more,” she says.

Each week, I chat with Brother Vs. Brother producer Loren Ruch about his favorite behind-the-scenes moments that you didn’t see on TV. This week, his from-the-set take on the first season finale.

After David’s win, did Jonathan, Drew and the other finalists do anything to celebrate?
Jonathan, Drew and our guest judges took David, our winner, to the winning house and toasted him with champagne. Then we basically had a block party with all of the finalists. It was so bittersweet. I remember Monica being in tears, and Torche getting very emotional as well. It was such an incredible group of contestants on this show. It’s almost hard to describe just how close the cast, crew and contestants became. It was our “first year at summer camp” together!

In a team-based environment, was it difficult for the brothers to choose just one winner? Do you think you’ll continue to have just one winner in future seasons?
To be honest, all of the judges (and the brothers) were so impressed with David’s fireplace in the finale, that it gave him a push towards the winning position, but of course it was still tough because Brett had also done such great work throughout the entire season of the show. As for future years of the show, I would consider having more than one winner, but I really do think that one winner makes for more exciting television.

It was so interesting that this week’s homeowners were twins in identical properties! How did you find them?
It was basically just sheer luck! We had location scouts looking for homes all over the LA area, and when they came back and said that they found identical brothers with identical homes, I knew we needed to save them for our finale!

Blog reader Sherry says, “We especially liked Torche’s work. She has some great talent. We hope to see her and her work in the near future.” Any chance we’ll see her again anytime soon?
You were not alone! Torche captured the hearts of many. Several producers are currently pitching projects with her to the network, so we’ll have to stay tuned to see if any of them manifest!

Blog reader Mr DeLaVega asks, “Can’t wait for season 2! When will the casting for season 2 start?” Will you use the same criteria as this year’s show, or refine it?
I am excited too, Mr. DeLaVega! Casting starts already in a few weeks! All the information will be posted on HGTV.com. (Check back to the HGTVersus blog for more details!) We are basically using the same criteria as this year, but we are going to emphasize even more the importance of hands-on skills.

What was the most memorable moment on the set this week?
It was a bit like observing a clown car this week because we had ALL of our judges return (Mike Aubrey, Kennon Earl, Hillary Farr and David Visentin) so watching all of them walk-through the homes (with Jonathan and Drew nonetheless), it was quite hysterical. We joked about velcro-ing them together so that we wouldn’t be wrangling cats throughout the entire day!